Probably Inevtiable Rain Dampens Grudge Game

by Rog Moore

DAY 1: MBCC lost the toss and 99/3, with play stopped by an elecrical storm
Weather, in minor hazard of an electrical storm, had the early and final say on Day one (and possibly day 2) in the critical match between the two Manlys. Critical, for points and bragging rights, and a huge test of the Breakers depth as a majority of regular B3 players were off supporting the Australian side at the Adelaide Ashes test match.

On a day where the weather always threatened, and eventually delivered, there were two especially erroneous calls made by Breakers players. The first, by Al Lemarchand (that he subsequently and cowardly tried to retract) was on the uselessness of English player Paul Collingwood, who promptly went on to double his score to the minor total of 206. The second, well meaning and equally inaccurate, was by Breakers’ token Kiwi Rog Moore, who predicated Hugh “Pickles” Walker would score 70. In fact, Hugh crunched an invaluable personal best of 38, as the Breakers reached the early close at 99/3, well placed, though maybe with too much time now lost due to weather.

The third wrong call, setting aside some vague running between wickets, was by Ian North, taking over as captain with Rob Lavery on crusade in South Australia. Losing the coin toss and being asked to bat wasn’t especially heart breaking, as it was the kind of day where conditions favoured both batting and bowling.

Ian’s team was strong, especially given the absence of Cap’n Lavery, Doug, DC, Fish, Boof, Erriott and others. Back for more fun came Adam Payne, and into the side to loud applause (from the skies and their team mates) were Dave Bilson and Brad Flinn.

One of the original “splitters” (or breakers, natch) from the Leagues club, Robbie “Cutters” Herne, walked out to open with new gun Angivin Gunasehar. Cutters and Gunner succeeded in keeping out the League’s new ball attack, only for Robbie to mis-judge a ball from Perryman that judged his stumped more accurately. Hugh, batting at number 3, joined Gunner, with both watchful as necessary and full blooded attacking where possible, in a stand of 76 for the second wicket.

Hugh hit hard and handsome, with five 4s and the worst kind of sailing six for a fieldsman, as he compiled his highest score for the Breakers. Angivin, in form and always looking it as he has all season, reached 42, containing seven sweetly timed, often driven, 4s and a number of potential others stopped by the excellent Leagues ground fielding. “Gunner” was frustrated at his dismissal, coming just after tea, as he’d never really looked like getting out. Meanwhile Lloyd “Mittens” Walker, fresh off a century, hit two great shots: the first, a pull, the second an amazing – a deliberate – dab over slips that raced away.

Adam Payne, unimaginatively nicknamed Payno and fresh from a fine, unbeaten debut 33 back in round two, walked out to applause from his side, and even louder applause from the sky. As he shaped to receive his first delivery lightening flashed, the players fled from the field (for once, listening to the “real” umpire on another field who ran faster then Hugh had while chasing singles, a little while before). That ended the day, and Adam will have set some bizarre record of time elapsed by the time he finally faces his first delivery next week.

Al bravely retrieved the boundary markers and the players retreated to the safest place: the Brookvale Hotel, proud sponsors of the Manly Breakers (hooray!)

The Breakers have done well, although with so much time lost through rain – nearly half the day’s play was lost – Ian North will have a careful decision to make next week as he team chases another win.

Lloyd Leads and Leagues Hang on as Lost Time has Final Say

by Rog Moore

DAY 2: MBCC 212/8 dec, drew with Manly leagues 124/8

As the battle resumed on the hill that is Nolans 4, the Breakers stood tallest but has to settle for their second draw in two matches. Firstly through Lloyd Walker’s commanding 81 not out, and then an excellent team bowling performance, MBCC finished 1 wicket shy of first innings victory as Leagues’ Sparazo played an equally commanding (though chalk compared to cheese) knock.

After the inevitables for this match were out of the way (hung over players from Christmas parties, isolated verbal squirmishes between the Leagues’ captain and most of the Breakers, yet another Rog Moore injury during the week), the match resumed after last week’s minor Thunder and lightening interruption.

That Breakers skipper Ian North was able to declare at all was due mainly to Lloyd “Mittens” Walker. Standing tall on the ridiculously elevated wicket block, Lloyd’s dominant knock steam rolled the innings to 212/8 declared, and we are rapidly running out of unused superlatives to describe his purple patch of batting. He went from 8 not out over night to an unbeaten 81, scored against both the clock and a bowling attack rated by crack opening bat Angivin as the best line up he’s faced this season.

Mittens was aided by a series of stick-ability innings from all his team mates, and Chris Sweet’s calm, controlled batting rebirth immediately after Leagues captain Bass found the literal extra yard to remove over night batsman Adam Payne with the team total at the English-unlucky Nelson (111) - on a week when all things went badly for the English cricketers. Hitting 11 fours and a glorious 6, and always in control, Lloyd was so dominant that in an undefeated and crucial 9^th wicket stand of 44 with Al Lemarchand (playing his second important innings for the team in a row), he faced all but two deliveries. Giddie Up!!!

All debutants made runs and stayed in support, and Capt’n North set the Leagues club a chase of 212 in 45 overs, putting team in front of player (it’s likely one more over would have been enough for Mittens’ century!), and sparking more exchanges between the grudge teams.

The Leagues chase never really started, not helped by their instance on having tea break at the scheduled time. After Ian Northy and Hugh “Pickles” Walker removed the opening batsmen by the time 31 runs were on the board, the shutters seemed up. Ahmeed Sheety (37), normally aggressive at the crease, and Perryman (20), statistically the most successful bowler of the innings, added a beneath run-rate 45 runs, where upon left-arm quick Chris Sweet ripped out both players and his opposition captain Bass as well. Sheety’s dismissal, hooking at a “wide” ball that he felt was above his head and the umpires and Breakers did not, triggered an award-winning (and completely par-for-the-course) hissy fit, a well directed sledge, and the catalyst for the innings slump to 91 for 5.

Impressive bowling from the entire Breakers line-up continued, as they chased the remaining four wickets (the Leagues being a player down in this second week) and were, as Lloyd demanded, tight like fire. Sparazo, playing an innings as important as Mittens’, though completely different in action, batted hard to save his side, taking as much of the strike as possible.

Brad Flinn, impressive of pace after some early direction problems (0-24), as well as snaring three excellent catches, and Dave Bilson (0-11 off five even more fiery overs) made impressive debuts as Breakers leather flingers. Unusually, and eventually critically, four catches were missed in the field, after a number of “clean sheet” efforts by the Breakers side through this season.

The next twist was Ian North’s early departure to meet his mate Robbie Williams (a small party with 40,000 other guests). His deputy, the ubiquitous and multi-aliased C.Sweet, surprised everyone by not bowling continuously at one end for the rest of the day. His nominated replacement Angivin Gunasehar, promptly showed why his new team had assumed on first sight that he was a bowler, by immediately removing Blundell.

Gunnar, Bilso, and Lloyd Walker (fast and freed from the ‘keeprs’ gloves) strangled the batting, Angivin giving away 11 runs from his first over and nothing for his remaining 6 as he finished with the excellent figures of 3-11. However, credit must got to League’s batting wall Sparazo, who judged the situation well and played accordingly, and his last wicket partner Levey for holding out under the remosorseless Breakers’ pressure.

A fine effort, foiled as feared in the end by the weather of the previous week. Some summer Sydney is having this season, huh?